System for monitoring and reporting viewing of television programming

Abstract

A system for monitoring and reporting the viewing of television programs on a television receiver includes an RF probe which is positioned on the exterior of the receiver housing in close proximity to the intermediate frequency amplifier of the receiver to pick up the intermediate frequency signal therein. A demodulator circuit derives a composite video signal from the intermediate frequency signal. A closed captioning chip and decoder derive channel and/or program information from line 21 of the composite signal, which information is periodically stored in a memory with associated time, date and viewer ID information. The stored viewing information is periodically transmitted by modem to a central monitoring location for analysis. In an alternative embodiment the viewing information is transferred to a removable memory card which is mailed to the central monitoring location.

I claim: 
     
       1. A system for monitoring and reporting the viewing of television programming on a television receiver, comprising: an RF probe for detecting intermediate frequency radiation from the intermediate frequency amplifier of the television receiver, said intermediate frequency radiation including a video component and an audio component;   signal processing means coupled to said RF probe for deriving a signal indicative of the channel and/or program being watched on the television receiver;   clock means for developing a signal indicative of current time and/or date;   memory means for storing said channel and/or program data in association with said time and/or date signal; and   a removable memory card or the like for periodically conveying said associated data from said memory means to a central monitoring facility for analysis, said card being pre-assigned to a particular reporting period.   
     
     
       2. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 1 wherein said RF probe is tuned to said intermediate frequency. 
     
     
       3. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 1 wherein said detected intermediate frequency signal includes a video component and an audio component, and said signal processing means include demodulator means for deriving a composite video signal from said video component. 
     
     
       4. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 3 wherein said signal processing means include means for deriving digital data from said composite video signal. 
     
     
       5. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for deriving digital data derive digital data from line 21 of at least one field in said composite signal. 
     
     
       6. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 5 wherein said digital data is derived from line 21 in both fields of said composite video signal. 
     
     
       7. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 1 wherein said memory means comprise a RAM. 
     
     
       8. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 1 wherein said signal processing means includes a microprocessor. 
     
     
       9. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 1 wherein said communication means comprise a telephone line modem. 
     
     
       10. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 1 including means for developing a user ID signal, and wherein said memory means store said user ID signal in association with said channel and/or program and time and date identification signals. 
     
     
       11. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 10 including means for developing a viewer ID signal, and wherein said memory means store said viewer ID signal in association with said channel and/or program and time and date identification signals. 
     
     
       12. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 10 wherein said means for developing a viewer ID signal comprise a user-actuated switch. 
     
     
       13. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 1 further including a sensing means for determining whether said receiver is on or off. 
     
     
       14. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 13 wherein said sensing means includes a current detector. 
     
     
       15. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 1 further including a signal strength indicator for indicating the strength of said intermediate frequency radiation. 
     
     
       16. A system for monitoring and reporting the viewing of television programming on a television receiver, comprising: an RF probe for detecting intermediate frequency radiation from the intermediate frequency amplifier of the television receiver, said intermediate frequency radiation including a video component and an audio component;   demodulation means for deriving a composite video signal from said intermediate frequency video component;   means for deriving digital data from said composite video signal;   decoding means for deriving a signal indicative of the channel and/or program being watched on the television receiver from said digital data;   clock means for developing a signal indicative of current time and date;   memory means for storing said channel and/or program data in association with said time and date signal; and   a removable memory card or the like for periodically conveying said associated data from said memory means to a central monitoring facility for analysis, said card being pre-assigned to a particular reporting period.   
     
     
       17. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 16 wherein said RF probe is tuned to said intermediate frequency. 
     
     
       18. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 16 wherein said means for deriving digital data derive digital data from line 21 of at least one field in said composite signal. 
     
     
       19. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 16 wherein said digital data is derived from line 21 in both fields of said composite video signal. 
     
     
       20. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 16 wherein said memory means comprise a RAM. 
     
     
       21. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 16 wherein said signal processing means includes a microprocessor. 
     
     
       22. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 16 wherein said communication means comprise a telephone line modem. 
     
     
       23. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 16 including means for developing a user ID signal, and wherein said memory means store said user ID signal in association with said channel and/or program identification signals and said date and time identification signals. 
     
     
       24. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 23 including means for developing a viewer ID signal, and wherein said memory means store said viewer ID signal in association with said channel and/or program and time and time identification signals. 
     
     
       25. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 24 wherein said means for developing a viewer ID signal comprise a user-actuated switch. 
     
     
       26. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 16 further including a sensing means for determining whether said receiver is on or off. 
     
     
       27. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 26 wherein said sensing means includes a current detector. 
     
     
       28. A monitoring and reporting system as defined in claim 16 further including a signal strength indicator for indicating the strength of said intermediate frequency radiation. 
     
     
       29. A system for monitoring and reporting the viewing of television programming on a television receiver, comprising: an RF probe for detecting intermediate frequency radiation from the intermediate frequency amplifier of the television receiver, said intermediate frequency radiation including a video component and an audio component;   signal processing means coupled to said RF probe for deriving a signal indicative of the channel and/or program being watched on the television receiver;   clock means for developing a signal indicative of current time and/or date;   memory means for storing said channel and/or program data in association with said time and/or date signal;   a removable memory card or the like for periodically conveying said associated data from said memory means to a central monitoring facility for analysis, said card being pre-assigned to a particular reporting period; and   disabling means for disabling said receiver when said card is not assigned to the current reporting period.